World Mental Health Day 2018

It's World Mental Health Day today, 10th October 2018 so I wondered if we could take part by making a good list here of ideas and actions that we as Jedi take part in to take care of our mental health.

I Love to play with my gerbil Weibdeh, and I like to feel her little feet pitter-patter as she explores around. For me it's an extremely relaxing, active yet passive way to completely switch off for a few minutes. I look forward to hearing more ideas from the community. Happy mental health day everyone, and an extra-special shout-out to anyone working in the mental health professions today.

Thank you for this thread, Twigga.Quite often we get caught up in that stage to where we do more thinking about the things we do then doing the things that we do.

Today I'm going to commit to spending at least five minutes of my turtles at the park.

First I make sure to get some meditation time in, a little bit of exercise and finally I try to spend some time petting my cat Zesty and just feeling her purr (when she lets me). I try to do these things daily and it helps keep me at an even keel, that doesn't mean things don't hit me or cause depression to flare once in a bit but they help.

Much Love, Respect and Peace,
Kobos

Thank you for highlighting this. As both a person who suffers from mental health disorders and someone training to be a healthcare practitioner, mental health is a cause very dear to my heart.

I think that it's important that we understand the aspects of Jedi teachings related to emotion in a healthy way. I think that in both Jedi circles and the world in general, people are often taught that they should be in control of how, what, and when they feel, and that having "negative" emotions such as anger, fear, or depression is some sort of personal failure. That simply isn't true. Having emotions is natural, human, and often completely unavoidable. What matters is how we approach and respond to them. In a similar vein, reacting to our emotions in ways that are harmful to ourselves or others is not always our fault. It may be due to a mental illness, which could be a biological phenomenon or the result of trauma. If you think you might be dealing with a mental illness and you have the resources to seek help, please do so. Treatment can give you the tools to manage your emotions in healthier ways, allowing you to pour more good into the universe and into yourself.

This was a rather long, complicated response to a simple question, and perhaps not what you were looking for, but I felt the need to express it! Some of my small-scale self care practices include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, keeping up a skincare routine, and asking for help with tasks that make me anxious.

I wish everyone here peace and mental wellness

May the force be with you, always!
Hayley

I've often, before this year, found myself dismissing my own diagnosis of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I found myself holing myself away from everyone and believed that my life was just fine. I had a job, a wife and kids, a place to call home.

In short succession I lost my dogs, then my wife abandoned me cause I was not being interactive. This plus the stress of fireworks over the 4th of July holiday, I crashed. I was on the verge of self-destruction feeling like I wasn't good enough to share this life with anyone. Luckily, someone took the effort to save me from myself and I ended up doing plenty of mindfulness training.

Now, whenever I deal with someone who says they are suffering from any form of mental barrier, I can relate and empathize. I can offer real encouraging words to help them with their path.

Thank you for mentioning this day as something I can hold much more closely to. Your struggle is real, but how do you deal?

Thank you so much for sharing!

Another way I've found to "deal" is to remember it's not real...

Sounds dumb, but I just say it aloud to myself, and then I go and find myself a nice cup of tea/cafe type of environment and I sit there and I notice all the very non threatening details, like sugar pots, napkins, teaspoons, flowers in little jars, sachets of ketchup... Gosh... I really could go and HUG every single person who works as a waiter or waitress for putting all that effort into making things "nice". It doesn't always work. Nice doesn't always get under the skin, but rehydration does - I know I've at least done SOMETHING kind for myself.

I love to drink some delicious tea and relax while doing it. From the preparing to finishing it it takes at least 20 minutes. Those minutes I don't do or think about anything that is stressing me. The usual sources for this stress are the computer, phone or other people. Just being away from it all for a few minutes is the best for me.

ནའдհдཀ༑ནკ wrote: Now, whenever I deal with someone who says they are suffering from any form of mental barrier, I can relate and empathize. I can offer real encouraging words to help them with their path.

This is exactly how I believe we should treat mental illness in regards to the Jedi path. Not as a personal flaw or failing, but as an obstacle to overcome. I wish you good health